TITLE
Authorizing the Department of Planning and Economic Development to apply to the Metropolitan Council for Livable Communities Demonstration Account development grants for a projects at 2260 Bohland Avenue (Common Bond Ford Site II), and 1418 Sue Street adjoining 1883 - 1891 Norfolk Avenue (Panorama of Highland Park), and two Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) projects at 892 Seventh Street East (Project for Pride in Living, Soul Development) and 2441 University Avenue West (2441 Arts), which will include indemnification provisions in favor of the Metropolitan Council. (To be amended)
BODY
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul is a participant in the Livable Communities Act’s Local Housing Incentives Account Program for 2023 as determined by the Metropolitan Council, and is therefore eligible to apply for Livable Communities Demonstration Account funds; and
WHEREAS, the City has identified proposed projects within the City that meets the Demonstration Account’s purposes and criteria and is consistent with and promotes the purposes of the Metropolitan Livable Communities Act and the policies of the Metropolitan Council’s adopted metropolitan development guide; and
WHEREAS, the City has the institutional, managerial and financial capability to ensure adequate project administration; and
WHEREAS, the City certifies that it will comply with all applicable laws and regulations as stated in the grant agreement; and
WHEREAS, the City agrees to act as legal sponsor for the projects contained in the grant applications submitted on August, 14 2023; and
WHEREAS, the City acknowledges Livable Communities Demonstration Account grants are intended to fund projects or project components that can serve as models, examples or prototypes for development or redevelopment projects elsewhere in the region, and therefore represents that the proposed projects or key components of the proposed projects can be replicated in other metropolitan-area communities; and
WHEREAS, only a limited amount of grant funding is available through the Metropolitan Council’s Livable Communities Demonstration Account during each funding cycle and the Metropolitan Council has determined it is appropriate to allocate those scarce grant funds only to eligible projects that would not occur without the availability of Demonstration Account grant funding.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that, after appropriate examination and due consideration, the governing body of the City:
1. Finds that it is in the best interests of the City’s development goals and priorities for the following proposed projects to occur at these particular sites and at this particular time:
TOD Projects:
- 892 7th Street East for Project for Pride in Living Soul development (not to exceed $975,000)
- 2441 University Avenue for 2441 Arts (not to exceed $888,750)
LCDA Development Projects:
- 2260 Bohland Avenue (not to exceed $2,000,000)
- 1413 Sue Street and 1883-1891 Norfolk Avenues for Panorama of Highland Park (not to exceed $944,500)
2. Finds that the project components for which Livable Communities Demonstration Account funding is sought:
- will not occur solely through private or other public investment within the reasonable foreseeable future; and
- will occur within three years after a grant award only if Livable Communities Demonstration Account funding is made available for these projects at this time.
3. Represents that the City has undertaken reasonable and good faith efforts to procure funding for the project components for which Livable Communities Demonstration Account funding is sought but was not able to find or secure from other sources funding that is necessary for project component completion within three years and states that this representation is based on the following supporting facts:
- The City of Saint Paul has no general fund resources to invest in these sites; and
- Project costs exceed balances in existing TIF districts and the financial limits on new TIF districts leave the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of the City of Saint Paul with insufficient resources to invest in these sites.
4. Authorizes its Director of Planning and Economic Development to submit on behalf of the City these three four grant applications referenced above, for Metropolitan Council Livable Communities Demonstration Account grant funds for project components identified in the applications, and to execute such agreements as may be necessary to implement the projects on behalf of the City, wherein said agreement contains indemnification provisions in favor of the Metropolitan Council.